Life Changing Mistake
by Smile through the Rain
Summary: What happened the day Lily and James found out they were being hunted? How did Sirius manage to convince the Potters to switch Secret Keepers? This is my take on what happens before that terrible October night.


August 13th

It was a quiet evening in Godric's Hallow. James and Lily Potter had just invited their friends over for a fun night of reminiscing their Hogwarts years.  
"Oh, Lily I think Harry is hungry," James called to his wife.

"Then get him some milk," Lily looked over and saw him look at her with confusion. "Of course you don't know how. Alright hand Harry over, besides Sirius and Remus should be here anytime."  
As Lily walked into their kitchen a figure slid out of their fireplace, soon followed by a second person.  
"Moony, Padfoot! Missed you guys." James greeted his best friends.  
"Yea yea Prongs, missed ya to, where's Prongs Jr.?"  
"In the kitchen with Lil-" But before James could finish Sirius had bolted into the kitchen shouting, "Oi, Red, quit hogging my godchild!"  
"He's my son Sirius!"  
"Yea, but you see him everyday Red."  
Remus looked over at his friend. "Well, I missed you James. It's good to see you again." He gave him a side hug and they followed their crazy friend into the kitchen.  
"He looks just like you mate." Remus commented looking at the young Harry.

"Sadly, unfortunate for him, at least he has his mothers beautiful eyes." Sirius commented while helping Harry drink from a cup.  
"Sirius, are you flirting with my wife? And what in Merlin's beard do you mean sadly!?" James pouted as Sirius smirked and Remus laughed.  
Lily glanced at the three friends with a small smile. She was happy to see them act like this again. As James and Sirius fake wrestled, Remus took baby Harry, and Lily went to answer the door.  
Peter Pettigrew stood outside, and Lily welcomed him in with a small hug.  
"The boys are in the kitchen, would you like anything to drink?"  
"N-n-no. I will b-be fine, thanks."  
"Peter, are you okay?"  
"I'm afraid I bring bad news."

Lily's face fell. With the war more and more incidents were happening. Disappearances, murders, tortures. Everyday was getting worse than the next.  
"Oh no what..who..when." Lily stuttered out. Peter looked so grim and she could feel a tear roll down her cheek.  
"You're not going to like this. Two attacks...Marlene Mckinnon and her family were targeted and killed, and Alice and Frank Longbottom were tortured by the Cruciatus curse, no word on how they are, but when the Order arrived, they were in bad shape, both by Death Eaters...I'm sorry Lily I know they were your friends."  
At first after Peter had finished talking Lily stood their stunned, but slowly his words sank in and she gasped, "No! Please tell me this isn't true! No. No. No no no no." Lily shook her head and collapsed to the floor, and began shaking in silent tears. Peter stood there, awkwardly, having never been good with girls, until from the hallway his friends appeared,

"Oi! Wormtail mate! Good to see yo-Lily!?" Sirius was the first to see the redhead on the ground.  
"Lily!" James rushed to her side, "what is it!" He looked up at Peter mouthing _Attacks? _All Peter could do was nod sadly.  
Sirius and James helped Lily onto a couch as Peter retold the events from the day. All of them with grim faces. Slowly Lily stopped crying long enough to speak, "My best friends... no."  
"I know honey, I know." James tried to comfort his wife, which turned out to be a mistake.  
"No! You do not know James! You just don't know! Sirius and Remus and Peter are all still here! You don't know what I am feeling!" Lily exploded at James.  
"And there is the Evans temper that I missed, right Evans?" Sirius tried to make the room laugh.  
"It's Potter now Black." and Sirius got a smile out of Lily as she got up and hugged him.

" Thank you"  
"No problem Red." As Sirius continued to hug the girl he now considered a sister, there was a knock on the door again.  
"I will get it," Remus said, handing Harry to his father. And he opened the door to reveal a distressed Albus Dumbledore.  
"Come in, Professor."  
"Please Remus, you are no longer my student call me Albus."

And the two of them walked into the living room, where Dumbledore realized that Peter must have given the terrible news.  
"Hello, I'm afraid that I come bearing worse news. I need to speak to Lily and James please, privately." Albus spoke to the young couple, and the three of them walked into the den which was on the other side of the kitchen.  
"Yes?" James asked.  
"I mustn't beat around the bush, it is too dire. It had come to my attention that Voldemort may be hunting you."  
"What!?" Lily gasped.  
"Well more specifically, your child. I have just received a prophecy in the past week stating that Voldemort will be killed by a boy born as the seventh month dies, and as far as I am aware, young Harry just celebrated his first birthday thirteen days ago. On July 31st. I believe that is why the Longbottoms were targeted, young Neville also recently celebrated his first birthday a bit before Harry. It would make sense that they also would target you."  
"What can we do to keep out family safe?" James asked, his face ghostly pale.  
"I have come with an idea, the Fidelius charm can hide your location and can only be reveled by a Secret Keeper, someone trusted not to give it away. Make your choice lightly, because we believe that information is leaking to the enemy and we think it might be one of your friends."  
"No!" James insisted, "My friends would never betray me, never."  
"I know you put a lot of faith into your friends, but I am only telling you of my suspicion. I myself would offer to be your secret keeper, as I am the only man Voldemort fears."  
"Actually I want Sirius to do it. I trust no one more. No offense Albus."  
Dumbledore nodded as if he knew this was coming, let us inform Mr. Black."  
James took out his mirror, "Sirius." he got a response immediately. "Ya mate?"  
"I need you to come into the den right now."  
"On my way, Prongs."  
In the few seconds it took for Sirius Black to make his way down the hall, Jame hugged Lily tight and Dumbledore looked at two of his most impressive students, he realized that these young people have faced far more with this war than the ever should have. And he was sorry for them.  
"Yea..." Sirius voice trailed off as he saw the sight before him.  
"Mate we have a special job for you...Are you up for it?"  
Dumbledore went along explaining everything to Sirius just as he had to Lily and James, and a bit further. He informed them that their friends can know where they are, but unless Sirius, and only Sirius, tells someone directly can they actually find, and enter the house.  
"Sirius, will you do this for us?" Lily asked  
"Wouldn't Dumbledore be safer? I mean I don't know if I can-"  
"Padfoot, there is no one on this earth that I trust more than you, you are my brother from another mother, you are like my other half, no offense Lils. You can do this."  
"We believe in you Sirius, we want it to be you."  
"Yes, I will do this for you. You guys are my family. We have to protect Harry."

They all agreed and went back into the living room to inform their friends. After a few shocked looks and questions, Dumbledore went on performing the spell.  
"Now no one can see your house from the outside unless Sirius tells them the address. Good luck. We will send Auror's every other day, and Order members the other days." And with that Albus apparated out of the house.

"Oh James, what about Harry, we can't-"  
"I know honey." The couple hugged as Sirius told the address to Remus and Peter so that they can enter the house.  
The group of friends sat together trying to make sense of everything wrong in their lives and giving their support to Lily and James, and before they knew it, it was almost midnight.  
"I am truly sorry James and Lily, this is the last thing you needed. I will check up on you guys every available day I have. So you wont get lonely. However I am joining the Prewett brothers tomorrow on a mission and I must be off." And Remus stood up and, with one last sad look at his friends, walked out the door. Peter followed suit claiming he had to go back and check on his mother.  
It seemed that Sirius was trying to make sure they were fully out the door before turning back to James.  
"Listen I am glad to be your secret keeper, but I'm too obvious."  
"What?" James asked  
Lily's eyes flashed in realization, "Of course, Voldemort would expect this, he would know Sirius is your first pick. He would go after him."  
"Torture me. Anything to get it out, It's not safe for me or you. You gotta pick someone he doesn't suspect like Peter!"  
"No. No. Sirius please. There is no one I want doing this but you. I know you wont ever let them find us."  
"You're right I'd rather die than betray you." Sirius felt like this was a great sentence to make his exit on. "Hang in there Prongs old Voldieshorts will be destroyed before you know it, trust me." And he could hear his two friends laughing as the door shut behind him. Sirius was dedicated to save his friends.

October 29th

For just over two months Lily and James Potter spent everyday stuck inside while Aurors, Order members, and their friends visited here and there. It bothered Jame that he couldn't be out helping fight the war, he loved Lily and Harry he just needed to do something.  
On that particular day both Sirius and Peter were visiting.  
"Prongs I'm serious we have to talk."  
"What's wrong Padfoot?"  
"Three attacks just trying to find out your location, each getting worse. It is in your best interest that you switch."  
"James, honey, I am beginning to agree with Sirius, we need to trick them."  
"Alright, Peter would you help us by being our new secret keeper. You can't tell anyone we switched, not Remus not Dumbledore not anyone. We have to keep us safe." James looked at Peter with the most trust and hope he possibly could, and Lily's look was the same, they were putting all their hope on the last person they ever expected to betray them.  
"Yes."  
But how wrong they were.

October 31st

Sirius Black hadn't seen his best friend since he convinced them to switch secret keepers. He had just came back from a small order mission and had decided to check up on Peter to make sure that he was still alright. When he entered his friends small hiding place, he noticed it empty, and slightly wrecked. Fearing the worse he apparated directly to the Potters house in Godric's Hollow and saw that the Fidelus charm was broken and the house completely destroyed. _That little rat!_ Ironic considering. And before he even entered the house he knew and breaking the dead silence he muttered, "I just killed my best friend." And for the first time in his life, tears rolled down his face. He sunk to the ground slowly. Vengeance rolling in his veins, anger and a desire to hurt Peter. And then he could hear it...very faint, but distinct, the cry of Harry James Potter.


End file.
